1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a relay device connected to an ultrasonic surgical device and an electrosurgical device and an ultrasonic-surgical and electrosurgical system including the relay device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, surgeries use surgical devices including various handpieces, such as an ultrasonic scalpel and an electric scalpel, for use in tissue ablation and simultaneous hemostasis.
An ultrasonic surgical device and an electrosurgical device, serving as surgical devices, are individually operated. An operator has to manipulate switches dedicated to the respective devices to control the devices and operate handpieces connected to the devices.
Under the above-described circumstances, as the number of surgical devices increases, the operator's manipulation becomes more complicated. Unfortunately, changing a handpiece to another one results in an increase in time required for surgery.
Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. 6-42893 discloses a surgical system capable of ultrasonically disintegrating tissue and simultaneously allowing an electrosurgical device to supply high-frequency energy to the handpiece of the ultrasonic surgical device. This surgical system can simultaneously output ultrasonic vibration and high-frequency current.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-33369 discloses a surgical system including means for controlling the rate of high-frequency current output to ultrasonic vibration output. This system does not need to control the respective outputs.